


Blink Once, Blink Twice

by Latte_Hottay



Category: Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, F/M, Nightmare Time Episode 2: Watcher World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29879427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latte_Hottay/pseuds/Latte_Hottay
Summary: Emma and Paul take Tim to Watcher World, but their fun day takes an unexpected turn.
Relationships: Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Blink Once, Blink Twice

**Author's Note:**

> This took longer than it probably should have (this week was a mess lmao) but mind control is really fun apparently, I might write Binky more often who knows
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS:  
> -Mind control ish (Blinky)  
> -Broken bones

“Come on, Tim, we don’t wanna be late!”   
  
Tim ran to the car with only one arm in his jacket, and jumped in the backseat.   
  
Paul smiled, starting the engine and turning on a CD that he knew Tim liked, though Emma had no clue why.   
  
As Tim and Paul both sang along to some dumb tune, Emma couldn’t help but smile. They were going to spend the day in Watcher World, a theme park she hadn’t been to since she was a teenager. Tom and Becky had some sort of date-day, so when he asked Emma to babysit, Paul suggested they’d go to Watcher World. Tim was very excited, as he had never been to an amusement park, apart from a school trip in 2nd grade, and back then he and his classmates were too young and short to go on most of the rides.   
  
“Two adults and one kid under twelve, please,” Emma told the ticketer when they arrived at the booth.   
  
“Would you like to purchase your parking pass now or when you leave?”   
  
“Just give it now, please.”   
  
“Alright, your total will be 84.85.”   
  
Emma handed him the money, and as soon as she got the tickets, Tim pulled her towards the gate. “Come on, let’s go!”

*** *** ***

_ Splash! _   
  
A big wave crashed over the boat as it went down the Eye-Drop. Luckily, they got on the boat with a roof, so other than a few drops that dripped down the rusty frame, they got out relatively dry.   
  
Paul looked at the watch Emma got him for his birthday. “Let’s get some lunch and do something else afterward, okay?”   
  
“Okay!”   
  
“How does a big serving of fries sound?” Emma asked, already taking out her wallet.   
  
Tim cheered and took the money she offered, running towards the stand and telling the lady what he wanted with a big smile on his face.

*** *** ***

“Come on, let’s see the show!” Tim said excitedly, grabbing Paul’s arm.   
  
“S-show? As in… a musical?”   
  
“Yes!” Tim started pulling him towards the theater. “It starts at two, we don’t wanna miss it!”   
  
Paul looked at Emma, his eyes pleading for her to say something, but Emma shrugged with a small grin, following them.   
  
However, when they got to the theater, a small note was taped to the door.

**Ahoy there boys and girls!** **  
** **  
** **Unfortunately, there has been an incident involving two of our cast members, and we haven’t found any actors to replace them yet.** **  
** **  
** **If you wanted to see Blinky’s Watch Party, we apologize for the inconvenience.** **  
** **  
** **Have a fun day out there, and remember: don’t blink.**   
  
“Aw, man!” Tim exclaimed, though Emma saw Paul let out a relieved breath.   
  
“Come on, buddy,” he said. “Let’s get something to eat in line and then go to the Tearjerker, okay?”   
  
“Cool!”   
  
“Hold on,” Emma interjected. “Isn’t he too short to be allowed in there?”   
  
“Peter is in my class and he’s been in the Tearjerker, and I’m half an inch taller!”   
  
Emma smiled, grabbing the boy’s hand. “Well then, let’s go!”

*** *** ***

Apparently, Tim  _ really _ liked rollercoasters.   
  
Paul, on the other hand…   
  
“I don’t feel so good…” he mumbled, grabbing Emma’s arm to steady himself.   
  
“God, you’re pale. Let’s just go to the playground and let Tim play for a bit, alright?”   
  
Paul nodded.   
  
“Tim, let’s go!”   
  
“Is uncle Paul okay?”   
  
“He’s fine, just a bit dizzy. Play alone for a while, okay? We’ll go to the arcade once he’s feeling better.”   
  
They sat down on a bench at the edge of the playground, and Tim took off, running to one of the low climbing walls.   
  
Emma turned to Paul, who wasn’t as pale as he had been, but still not looking too good. “Hey… You feeling okay?”   
  
Paul smiled, leaning in to kiss her.   
  
“I’m  _ fine _ .”   
  
Emma watched as Tim went down the slide with a huge smile on his face, through the huge eye that was built around the frame.

  
  


**“Jane, I’m scared!” Emma yelled at the girl that stood at the bottom of the slide.** **  
** **  
** **“I’ll be down here to catch you, okay Emmy? It’ll be fun!” the twelve-year-old told her younger sister.** **  
** **  
** **Emma hesitantly sat down on the hot metal of the slide.** **  
** **  
** **“Just go, okay? I’ll catch you.”** **  
** **  
** **Emma pushed herself and slid right into Jane’s arms, a smile on both their faces.** **  
** **  
** **“See? I told you it’d be fun!”**

  
  


“Em? You alright?” Paul asked, nudging her slightly.   
  
Emma shook the thought away. “Yeah… Just thinkin’ about Jane.”   
  
Paul nodded. “Do you want to go home?”   
  
“Nah, let Tim play for a bit longer. Can you watch him for a minute? I’m going to the bathroom.”   
  
Paul nodded, putting her bag a bit closer to him to make sure no one would take it, though the playground was frighteningly empty in comparison to the rest of the park.   
  
Emma walked to the bathroom, and splashed some water in her face. She stared at her reflection, though she didn’t notice the purple spark in her eye.   
  
“He reminds me of Jane too much…” she mumbled softly, ripping a pipe from the wall, water pouring from the hole in the wall and quickly forming a puddle under the sink. She ran back to the playground, holding the pipe above her head as she approached the unsuspecting boy.   
  
“Hi, Aunt Emma! I- what are you doing?!” There was terror and confusion in his eyes as he jumped away from Emma’s swing.   
  
“Jane is dead!” She screamed, as if she had just found out, and snapped at someone who told her to ‘calm down’.   
  
“I know? Aunt Emma, what’s going on?!” Tim ran away from his furious aunt, heading for the small castle on the edge of the playground. Emma followed him inside and cornered him.   
  
“You will follow her!” she told him, raising the metal once more.   
  
She swung the metal down, and Tim screamed when it hit his leg, his bones cracking.   
  
Emma was about to strike again, but someone grabbed her from behind and slammed her against the wall, holding her there as stars danced around her field of vision. “Emma, what are you doing?!” Paul asked, terror clear in his voice.   
  
“I’m doing him a favor! He’s going to his mother!” She struggled against her boyfriend’s tight grip, but he didn’t let her go.   
  
Rain poured down onto the trio, even though they were inside the castle. It was purple, and glowing slightly. It sizzled as it came in contact with their skin, though it didn’t hurt or leave a mark.   
  
Emma could’ve sworn she saw the huge eye that was painted on the wall  _ blink _ .   
  
“ **_He’s watching,_ ** ” she said, though it wasn’t her voice. Purple smoke came out of her mouth, and her eyes could easily be glowing as bright as a flashlight, casting a purple light over the trembling boy on the ground. “ **_Blinky sees everything. The Lords in Bla-_ ** ”   
  
She was cut off by a hand slapping her face. It didn’t hurt, but it was enough to make her stop. There were a few seconds of silence, before her body started convulsing in Paul’s grip, and more smoke came from her mouth. He lowered her down to the ground, still holding her to make sure she wasn’t going after Tim again, but he wasn’t entirely sure what to do as her whole body spasmed uncontrollably.   
  
Not even a minute later, she went limp on the ground, but just as Paul was about to panic, she shot upright again. She blinked in surprise, the purple glow in her eyes dimming. She looked around, clearly confused about what just happened, and her eyes fell on Tim’s shaking body.   
  
“Tim…”   
  
Emma pushed Paul’s hands away and kneeled next to her nephew, whose hands were hovering over his mangled leg.   
  
“Tim, I’m so sorry…”   
  
The walls of the castle rumbled, a purple liquid seeping through the cracks. Emma didn’t hesitate for a second and scooped him into her arms.   
  
Tim cried in pain, but Emma didn’t stop until she saw their car, pulling the handle before Paul even got the chance to unlock it. She put the boy on the backseat, putting on the seatbelt, before climbing next to him and pulling him into a hug. They both cried in each other’s arms as Paul drove to the hospital.   
  
No words were spoken as they all tried to process what just happened.

*** *** ***

“Is anyone going to explain why your day of having fun ended with a trip to the ER?” Tom asked as Becky wrapped a bandage around Tim’s leg and wet the plaster, explaining how it worked.   
  
Emma looked at Paul for a second, before turning back to Tom. “Yeah… Listen, Tom-”   
  
“I fell,” Tim spoke up, the first thing he had said since it happened. “I was standing on the swings, even though you always told me that’s dangerous. I lost my grip and I fell.”   
  
Emma looked at the boy in surprise, and he smiled at her, giving a slight nod. She smiled back.   
  
“Oh, come here, my boy.” Tom hugged his son, kissing the top of his head.   
  
Emma grabbed Paul’s arm, and they turned around to leave when Tim called out. “Aunt Emma! Will you stay? I mean, this cast isn’t gonna sign itself!” He gestured at the cast that was now around his leg.   
  
Emma smiled. “Of course I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I just didn't want to copy the entire Watch Party XD


End file.
